


Breathe in, Taste the sunshine

by Natsumi



Category: Free!
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Hugging, Kissing, M/M, mackerel is the way to Haruka's heart, set in Tokyo for obvious reasons, warning for cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-18 18:06:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2357261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natsumi/pseuds/Natsumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every single Friday without fail, Haruka comes to Makoto’s apartment after practice. </p><p>or</p><p>Practice is tiring and Makoto is wonderful</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Every single friday without fail, Haruka comes to Makoto’s apartment after practice. He never rings the doorbell, and he doesn’t need to because Makoto makes sure to leave the door open knowing Haru will come. Makoto is sitting at his desk doing homework when he hears the door open followed by Haru unzipping his jacket. He looks at him from across the room, genuinely happy to see him, a smile planted firmly on his lips.

“How was practice?” he asks, putting his pencil down. 

Haru takes his shoes off before walking into the room and dropping down on the small couch. “Tiring,” he mutters. 

It’s not news. He is always pretty exhausted when coming, falling asleep on the couch more often than not. Makoto can see it in the way he walks, slightly dragging his feet over the floor. He can see it in his motions, slower than usual. And he can see it in his face and the way he tries to hide a yawn behind his hand. 

“Have you eaten anything yet?” he wonders and stands up because he already knows the answer. 

“No.” 

“I’ll make you something then.” 

He always does, after all. And Haru always replies something along the lines of “You don’t have to”. Today, however, he stays quiet. Makoto turns towards him and smiles at the sight in front of him. Haru is sitting slightly slouched forward, head tilted down to one side, breathing softly. 

Makoto chuckles and lets him sleep for now, moving him carefully so that he is laying down on the couch instead. That way he won’t wake up with a stiff neck. Then he walks over to the kitchen and debates what to make. His apartment is small, so it’s not much of a kitchen. He would rather call it a little corner in the room for making food. It’s not really that bad, and enough room for him to move around. 

When opening the refrigerator he realizes just how short he is on food. He has basically been living on cup noodles and street food lately. For him it isn’t that big of a deal, even though it would be nice to have a proper meal. Haru on the other side is more picky when it comes to his meals, and he knows that he misses eating proper food. Just yesterday he was complaining about not having enough money for mackerel. 

He makes a spontaneous decision and grabs his wallet before heading out, leaving Haru with a note. If he is careful with his money the rest of the week, he should just about have enough for the fish. He knows he already has some rice at home, which is a silent comfort. 

It’s dark outside by now, and the people walking by him are probably heading home after a long day at work. He likes the atmosphere around that time of the day. It is as if all the stress from the day is slipping out of people, making them take their time to look up and smile as they passes each other on the street. 

The closest grocery store is small, and he knows it in and out by now, so he is able to grab the mackerel and head for the checkout in barely a minute. The girl sitting there is around his own age. She has long, black hair tied up in a messy ponytail and Makoto still thinks she looks beautiful. He admires people who can do that without trying. 

“Thank you,” she says as he hands her the money. “I’ve seen you before, do you by any chance live around here?”

“Just around the corner,” he replies politely and takes the bag. 

“Me too. My name is Kaori.” She smiles sweetly, looking directly at him. 

“I’m Makoto, nice to meet you.” 

“I’ll see you around, then. You seem like a nice guy.” 

He chuckles slightly, not entirely sure how to respond. “Thank you,” he settles for, and then he is outside again, walking home to Haru. 

 

When he opens the door quietly, the raven is still sleeping where he left him. He picks up the note he left and puts it away. Then he takes out the fish and places it on the counter. He isn’t entirely sure how to cook it perfectly like Haru does, but he is sure he will come up with something. Rice is easier, that much he can do. 

About fifteen minutes later he puts two plates on the table. The mackerel turned out good, and he is proud of himself for not burning it. He does not have any kinds of vegetables to add to the dish, but he knows Haruka doesn’t care anyway. 

He walks over to him and crouches down to wake him. 

“Haru?” he calls, shaking his shoulder gently. 

It takes some nudging, but eventually he gets him alert enough to sit up. Haru take a few sniffs from the air and looks at Makoto with wonder written all over his face. Makoto has to bite his tongue to avoid laughing. 

“Would you perhaps like some mackerel?” he asks teasingly. 

Haru rubs his eyes a couple of times, and Makoto thinks it is to wake himself up more, but when he eventually stops and looks at him again, his eyes are teary. 

Makoto is too shocked to do anything. It can’t be… 

“Are… you crying?” he whispers in wonder. 

“No…” Haru utters in a whimper. 

But he is, and he is looking up at Makoto with actual tears in his eyes, and then Makoto feels like crying too and suddenly Haru is sitting in his lap, arms around his neck. 

“Thank you,” Haru mumbles again and again, pressing his face in the crook of Makoto’s neck. 

They sit like that for a couple of minutes and Makoto revels in how good it feels to hold him. It takes him back to when they were kids. Haru used to hold him whenever he was particularly scared of something. He still remember how much the simple act was able to calm him down, how Haru’s small hands held him securely. They hadn’t done that in what felt like forever. He cannot even remember the last time they hugged. Just the two of them.

He repeats the other’s words from earlier, trying to convert all his feelings into a simple sentence. “Thank you, Haru.” 

Haru doesn’t answer, but he wasn’t expecting him to either. They sit. No one says anything. Neither of them makes any move to stand up. And it feels so, so good. 

He still smells faintly of chlorine, Makoto finds out. It’s nice. 

The mackerel is cold by the time they move to the table, sitting side by side. Makoto offers to microwave it, but Haru just shakes his head, picks up the plate and eats. He has his eyes closed, and the brunet dares to sneak little glances at him. He looks almost peaceful. Happy, even. 

The plate is completely empty when Haru opens his eyes again. 

“You didn’t burn it,” he remarks and leans his head on his shoulder. Makoto is suddenly filled with so much fondness that it feels like he may burst, or cry. Or both. 

“I’m glad,” he manages to reply. 

 

They do the dishes side by side. Haru washes, Makoto rinses and dries. Just like how they used to do it back in Iwatobi. It has a nice feeling to it. 

Makoto doesn’t need to ask if he is staying over, because he always does on Fridays. He lets Haru take a bath first, but the raven takes his hand when he is about to go and turn off the lights in the living room. 

He doesn’t say anything, just leads him towards the bathroom, and Makoto doesn’t dare resist. Not when Haru is like this. He gets this certain determination in his eyes that is almost a little overwhelming. He lets go of his hand only to get undressed. Makoto has an urge to look away and give him his privacy, but Haru captures his eyes, never looking away. 

Then he sits down in the bathtub, sighing in content before taking Makoto’s hand again. 

Makoto pulls out a stool and sits beside him. 

After five minutes, Haru is still holding his hand, but his grip gets weaker. He leans his head on the edge of the tub and brings their conjoined hands towards his cheek.

Makoto wants to cry again, but instead he reaches out with his other hand and pets Haru’s head softly, threading strands of hair through his fingers. 

Eventually Haru’s breath evens out and gets deeper, and Makoto can tell he has fallen asleep again. 

One part of him knows that he should wake him, dry him off and get him into bed.

Then there’s the other part. The part that is perfectly content just sitting there watching Haru, stroking his hair slowly and holding his hand. 

He smiles to himself as he leans down to plant a soft kiss in Haru’s hair, and is stunned by how right it feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I watched episode 13, I cried, cried some more and then I wrote this. Makoto and Haru in Tokyo! Together! I am considering to write another chapter, so make sure to let me know if you would like that.
> 
> Comments and kudos are highly appreciated, I love hearing your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

When Makoto wakes up the next day, it is to the warmth of another body. For a while, he doesn’t dare open his eyes, afraid that it might all disappear if he does. He already knows whose body it is, so he doesn’t need to see.

Haru is breathing softly against his neck. It tickles, and Makoto cannot help but smile. The next thing he notices is that the sunshine is playing soft pattern across his face. He must have forgotten to close the curtains before going to bed. It did get late, after all. Sighing, he forces his eyes to open, squinting against the sun. He turns his head towards the alarmclock at his bedside table. 10:34 am.

It is nice being able to sleep in for once, and he silently thanks heaven for weekends. On another note, he is surprised that Haru hasn’t woken up yet. He is usually an early riser, in  sharp contrast to himself.

As if he had somehow heard his thoughts, Haru starts moving slightly, rubbing his head against Makoto’s chest.

Makoto chuckles quietly, his voice raspy from sleep. “Good morning.”

Haru keeps quiet, and rolls over to his own side of the bed. It is not much space, but it is a bigger bed than the one he had back in Iwatobi. It also helps that neither of them minds sharing.

The other is now laying with his back to Makoto, but he can see the pink coloured blush in his cheeks. It’s cute.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, I don’t mind,” he reassures, even if he knows that he would have been at least ten times more embarrassed had it been him waking up with his head on Haru’s chest instead.

“Shut up,” is the answer he receives, and then Haru is out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Makoto puts his hands behind his head and takes a deep breath. Seems like Haru is more awake and alert today. He wonders if they will talk about yesterday, but deep down he already knows the answer. Probably not.

 

“You really didn’t have to,” he says as he is handed a plate with breakfast the moment he enters the living room.

“It’s nothing”, Haru mutters shortly and sits down with his own plate.

But it isn’t. Haru has managed to put together an entire meal using what Makoto knows was very limited ingredients. His creativity when it comes to food never seizes to amaze him.

“It looks delicious, Haru-chan,” he says before tasting.

The fact that Haru doesn’t scold him for adding chan to his name doesn’t hit him until a few seconds later, but when it does it’s almost enough to make him drop his chopsticks.

 

“Hey, Haru. Do you mind if we go shopping? I need some new notebooks. You can just stay here if you want to, of course.”

Haru looks up from the book he was reading. “I’ll come,” he states and puts the book back in his bag. That Haru has taken to reading books on swimming just like Rin is still funny to Makoto.

“Great, you have no idea how fast I fill up my notebooks nowadays. It’s like they just write stuff in themselves magically overnight!” he laughs as he locks the door to his apartment.

“It’s because you work so hard.”

“What?”

Haru keeps quiet as they walk out on the street, turning his head to look at the cars driving past much like he would do back in Iwatobi.The only difference being that the ocean was there to look at instead of a busy road.

“I just think you’ve been doing well with your studies, that’s all,” he mutters eventually, still looking away from Makoto.

The compliment surprises him. Haru usually keeps his thoughts to himself, but he has started to open up more lately. It’s nice hearing him talk more of his opinions and interests, it makes him happy being able to listen for once.

Resisting a sudden urge to hug him, he settles for lightly bumping his hip against Haru’s.

Haru looks taken aback and huffs. “What was that for?”

Makoto shakes his head and smiles brightly. “Nothing at all.”

They manage to buy all Makoto had needed in an hour and decide to go down to the river that runs through the city. There are benches turned towards the river, and they have been there several times already. He is sure Haru likes the place, he is always hesitant to return home afterwards.

The wind is blowing more than usual today, and Makoto shivers at the cold air, zipping his jacket further up.

“Are you cold?” he asks Haru, because if Makoto is cold then surely he must be too.

“Not really.”

“Haru,” he says, trying to sound stern.

Apparently, he doesn’t succeed. All it does is make Haru actually take off the grey scarf that is hanging loosely around his neck.

“What are you doing?” he gasps, but is interrupted when Haru leans over and puts the scarf around the brunet’s neck instead. For a couple of seconds their noses are close to touching, and he can feel Haru’s breath on his cheek. Then it’s over, and Haru looks down at his feet and kicks at the ground, face unreadable.

“Haru?” he squeaks.

Haru sighs and finally, _finally_ looks at Makoto properly for the first time that day.

“Stop worrying about everyone else when you’re the one that’s cold,” he says accusingly while rolling his eyes in a manner that is so _Haru_ that Makoto feels better already, suddenly grateful that his lips are hidden under Haru’s scarf.

He is pretty sure his eyes give it away, though, because Haru huffs and turns away again, clearly annoyed.

It’s peaceful, sitting in silence and watching the river. He really has been busy lately. Haru was right, he has been studying hard and it makes him feel warm inside that he had noticed and said something about it.

“Are you going home after this?” he asks tentatively after a while, not wanting to hear the answer. Because Haru does usually go home on Saturdays.

Haru shifts in his seat before answering. “I left my stuff at your place so I might as well stay.”

And right at that moment Makoto swears he sees Haru blush. Actually blush, cheeks turning rosy. And he refuses to look at him. There shouldn’t be a reason to blush, but he is. Makoto smiles, breathes in Haru’s scent from his scarf and thinks that maybe things aren’t like they used to be anymore. And that’s okay as long as Haru is there.

 

Nagisa calls while they are watching a movie that Makoto doesn’t even know the name of, far too distracted by the fact that Haru is leaning his head on his shoulder like it’s something they have been doing forever, the same determined expression from yesterday planted in his face. Makoto himself is almost convinced that he is going to end up dead from his heart leaping out of his chest before the movie has even ended, that is what it feels like anyway.

Haru is not a fan of physical contact, then why is he...? He won’t find an answer even if he tries.

While his unusual behaviour yesterday could be excused by him being dead tired, he was definitely awake now. It is not a bad thing, Makoto thinks. Just… Different.

He is almost relieved when he hears his phone call, giving him an excuse to stand up and get it. Haru sighs, but sits up straight anyway.

“Nagisa, hi,” he begins, pushing his hair back nervously when he realises how high-pitched his voice sounds. He puts the phone on speaker so Haru can hear too.

“Mako-chan! It’s been so long since I’ve heard your voice, I almost can’t remember how you look anymore!” he exclaims dramatically.

Makoto laughs, feeling calmer already.

“We talked two days ago, Nagisa, but it’s nice to see you too! I mean… Nice to hear you!”

“Smooth,” Haru mutters under his breath, but he too is smiling.

Makoto sends him a glare that is supposed to look irritated, but he breaks out in a smile halfway through. Haru raises an eyebrow, obviously not impressed by his attempt.

“What are you up to?” Nagisa goes on.

“I’m just watching a movie with Haru.”

“Oh, Haru-chan is there too? Hi, Haru-chan!”

“Mhm,” Haru mumbles, moving closer to where Makoto is standing with the phone.

“I called you a week ago and you didn’t pick up!”

“Sorry, I was busy.”

“Ohh, that’s right! Haru-chan is busy becoming a professional swimmer.”

“Well, I…” Haru begins, but then he falters off.

“What about you, Nagisa? What have you been up to?”

Makoto looks over at Haru who is still biting his lip. He winks at him, and the tiny smile he receives back is the most beautiful thing he has seen all day.

“Me and Rei-chan have been busy too, with the swim club! You won’t believe how many people that are interested in joining…”

They talk for a long time, Nagisa never seems to run out of topics, going from talking about how weird Rei’s new glasses are to describing the ice cream he ate yesterday in frightening detail, but eventually they say goodbye and are seated back on the small couch again.

“Do you want to keep watching?” Makoto nudges his head towards the paused movie.

“I…” he stops and looks at Makoto with uncertainty in his eyes.

“Something wrong?”

A moment there Makoto thinks he is going to finish the sentence, he opens and closes his mouth several times, only to close it in the end. The brunet wishes he would open more up, if only a little. He has been more expressive lately, more focused, but he still has trouble forming his thought into words. Makoto knows that, and more than anything he wants to help, he just doesn’t know how.

“...It’s nothing.”

Makoto looks at him for a while, trying to hide the fact that he is worried.

“Okay then,” he says eventually, deciding not to force him to continue. “Shall we keep watching?”

And so they do, but once again neither of them is able to focus on the movie in front of them.

The next day passes by in a blur, and before he knows it he is sitting in the lecture hall again, trying his best to pay attention to what the professor is saying. It is hard, but he has decided that he will make it. He can still hear Haru’s encouraging words from before they even left Iwatobi in his head.

_You’ll definitely make it happen._

The way he had moved just a tiny bit closer as he had said it had made his heart race. There was something in the way he moved, not only that particular time and not only when swimming, but all the time. It was fluid, unconstrained and absolutely memorising. It was not just recently that he had caught himself thinking about it, but it had never been like this. He had never had this urge, no, desire to touch and feel and hold. And he wasn’t sure what to do about it, not when Haru suddenly seemed completely comfortable with physical contact. Even initiating it! It was all very confusing.

His phone vibrates in his pocket and pulls him back to reality.

_We are doing weight training, Makoto. I don’t like weight training._

He can almost see Haru pouting.

_Well, right now you’re texting me, right? :)_

“What are you smiling about, Tachibana?” the guy next to him whispers, leaning over to see. Makoto hides his phone instinctively, but it vibrates again.

_Shut up. You’re the one who tells me I need to use my phone more._

“Is it your girlfriend?” the guy snickers teasingly.

“We should focus on the lesson, don’t you think?” he replies, trying not to sound affected.

The guy puts his hands up as if to surrender and turns his attention away.

_There are people looking at me because I’m smiling at my phone, you know._

He has no idea what the professor is talking about anymore.

_Idiot._

Another message comes in before he is able to reply.

_I forgot my book at your place, I’ll come get it later today._

“For fuck’s sake, Tachibana, you and your phone needs to get a room.”

“Is there a problem back there?” the professor interrupts them, making Makoto jump in his seat.

“N-No, not at all!”

He can see the guy next to him rolling his eyes. One more text, he still has to reply.

_Okay!(^_^)_

He will definitely focus on the lesson now. Definitely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the positive feedback, I have decided to make this a chaptered fic instead of a oneshot. Makoharu in Tokyo gives me life tbh. As you can see there will be a total of 5 chapters. Hopefully you will enjoy it, haha :) 
> 
> Comments and kudos are still highly appreciated! You guys are the best.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The obligatory first kiss chapter, yo

Mondays are Makoto’s least favourite day of the week for several reasons.

He has to get up early for morning classes and it’s even harder than usual because he tends to sleep in during the weekend. Another reason is that he has a lot of time to kill in between of his classes. Usually he will try to get some homework done, but this Monday he has not been able to do much simply because everything reminds him of Haru. He doesn’t know why, but it is true.

_Oh, they are selling crepes over there, Haru would like those. I wonder what Haru would think of that..? I hope they are swimming now. This is beautiful, I wish Haru could see it. Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru…_

He is finally on his way home now, and he has never been more relieved. When he arrives at the floor his apartment is on, he stops abruptly. Someone is sitting outside his door and he knows exactly who it is.

“Haru?” he exclaims in surprise as he stands in front of him.

Haru stands up from where he was sitting leaned against the door, adjusting the strap of the bag that is hanging over his shoulder.

“We finished early so I figured I would just wait here.”

“You could have texted me! How long have you been here?” he asks as he unlocks the door. Haru follows him inside and they take off their shoes.

“It’s fine. Not too long.”

“Haru,” Makoto sighs as he walks into the living room. Haru is already seated in one of the two dinner table chairs. “How long?”

He doesn’t receive an answer right away and watches as Haru picks up his book that has been lying on the dinner table since yesterday.

“Just a couple of hours,” he admits as he browses through the book seemingly without a goal.

“And that’s not too long?!”

“Makoto, it’s fine. I needed to get my book anyway, I told you so.”

Makoto runs a hand through his hair and sits down on the couch. “Still, you should have texted me instead of waiting outside my door for hours. I would have-” he begins, but Haru cuts him off.

“Would have what? Skipped classes to open the door for me?” His voice is sharper than usual.

Makoto wants to say that _yes_ , that is exactly what he would have done, but something is telling him that it would be smarter not to say anything.

The room falls quiet, and Makoto decides to start on his homework. He pulls his books up from his bag and puts them on the table in front of him. Haru doesn’t move.

“Did you have a good day?” he asks tentatively as he fights the urge to chew on his pencil, a nervous habit he didn’t even know he had until very recently.

“It was fine,” Haru mutters, staring intensely at the wall to his left.

The conversation cuts short and they end up sitting in a silence heavier than anything Makoto has ever experience with his best friend. He is suddenly hyperaware of not making any noises, wincing at the way his papers rustles as he moves them. Is he breathing to loud? He tries holding his breath for a while, but it only results in his next exhale being twice as noticeable as it was before.

Haru doesn’t mention it and for a moment Makoto wonders if he is only imagining the silence. Maybe it isn’t as bad as he thinks.

He tries concentrating on his papers again, but by the time he has read the paragraph at least five times he still has no idea what it’s about.

“They are on the table,” Haru’s voice breaks the silence, and Makoto almost sighs in appreciation.

“What?”

“Your glasses.” Haru nods towards the black rimmed pair of glasses that is indeed laying on the small table in front of the couch. “You were squinting,” he adds as an afterthought.

“Oh! Thank you,” he replies, having totally forgotten about them. He picks them up slowly, careful not to show the fact that his hands are shaking slightly, and puts them on. Haru is still looking at him, he realises.

He doesn’t dare meet his eyes, so instead he directs his focus back to his papers. The letters are easier to read now. He had not even noticed they were blurry before, much too occupied with his thoughts. It’s stupid. He has no reason to be nervous. It’s just _Haru_ , after all.

Haru, who he has known for as long as he can remember. Haru, who still lets him hold onto his shirt whenever he feels particularly scared, even if Makoto is taller than him now. The same Haru that loves mackerel so much that he could probably eat it combined with anything and everything. He has proved so countless of times to Makoto’s horror. Haru, who even if he loves water more than anything else in the entire world, or so people like to say, stayed with Makoto for two whole days when he was sick instead of going to practice with Nagisa and Rei.

It’s just Haru, but for some reason that Makoto cannot yet comprehend, something is different now.

He turns his head slowly and their eyes meet. Neither of them flinches. Haru looks almost open, vulnerable; there is something in his eyes that speaks volumes. He can feel himself blushing again, as he has done often lately. It is creeping up his neck and to his face, and he feels warm. He feels trapped in his gaze, and it’s all a little overwhelming, but at the same time it feels intimate in a way he’s never experienced before with anyone else. It’s just Haru, and Haru is safe and brave and kind and so, so comforting. He is home and he is here and now, and suddenly something in Makoto’s mind clicks in place and everything makes sense.

For a moment he just lets the feeling wash through him, stunned by his own realisation, but then he notices that Haru looks uncertain. He is chewing softly on his lip, as if he wants to say something, and his gaze is not as intense anymore.

“Haru,” he begins, but stops when he sees him stand up from the chair. Haru walks slowly over to the couch, sitting down beside him. It’s cramped, and Makoto can feel the warmth radiating from him.

“Makoto,” Haru says quietly, his voice sounding breathy. It causes shivers to run down the brunet’s spine.

Haru’s eyes travels down to Makoto’s lips for a moment before returning to his eyes again. It all happens very slowly, and Makoto has plenty of time to pull away, but he doesn’t. Haru leans forward and tilts his head slightly up. Then their lips touch in a chaste kiss and Makoto closes his eyes without thinking. In fact, all thoughts leaves his head.

Neither of them really knows what to do, but he does know that Haru’s lips are surprisingly soft against his own, and even if their noses are bumping while they kiss, it doesn’t bother him at all.

It’s nice and warm, and his head is spinning and he swears he can feel Haru sighing in satisfaction against his lips. They pull back for a moment and he exhales shakily, licking his lips instinctively. He reaches out and touches Haru’s cheek softly. His skin feels smooth against his palm. Haru leans into his hand and breathes deeply, half-lidded blue eyes looking at him. Makoto brings their lips together again, this time with more precision.

Haru melts easily into the kiss and Makoto takes his lower lip between his own carefully. He can’t hear anything but his own heartbeat and the occasional soft moan from Haru as they move lazily together. His hand moves to curl into his hair, pulling him closer. Haru shifts in the couch, pressing his chest against Makoto’s. Makoto can feel Haru’s heart beat as fast as his own. He feels like he is burning everywhere they touch, and he never wants it to end. Haru’s natural scent is making him dizzy, and he lets out a breathy moan as Haru licks his lower lip slowly.

He is not sure how long they sit like that, simply touching and feeling and exploring each other in ways they haven’t had the chance to until now. When they do pull back again, Haru’s lips are deliciously red and a little swollen, and his pupils are dilated. He looks beautiful. Makoto’s hand is still curled softly in his hair, and he doesn’t let go just yet.

“That was…” Makoto begins, searching his face for any signs of regret or discomfort. He had just kissed his best friend. The thought is running through his head, and for a moment that is all he can think about.

He had just kissed Haru, and he doesn’t feel nervous anymore, and that too is Haru’s fault. Because Haru makes him feel safer than anyone else.

“Really nice,” Haru finishes for him, and his lips quirks upwards in a smile that makes Makoto’s chest constrict. “We should do that again.”

Makoto chuckles, simply because he feels so incredible happy, and it quickly turns into laughing so hard there are tears forming in the corner of his eyes. Haru watches him with interest and soon he too is laughing and it is the most beautiful, captivating sound Makoto has heard in a long time. God, how he has missed it. They sit side by side in the small couch, laughing, and Haru leans his head on Makoto’s shoulder, trying to hide his face in Makoto’s neck. He can feel his breath on his skin, it tickles.

“Oh, Haru...“ he presses out between giggles. “Yes. Yes, we definitely should.”

 

After that, things continues as normal, but at the same time everything has changed. Now, whenever they are out together, Haru will hold his hand securely. The first time he does Makoto almost trips over his own feet. It just happens. One second his hand is hanging loosely at his side, and the next it is surrounded by warmth, fingers curling easily into his own. Haru never looked at him the first time, instead keeping his eyes at the road, but Makoto thought he could see a slight blush in his cheeks.

He has gotten used to it now, but he still gets ridiculously happy every time it happens and even if their hands does get sweaty eventually, he would rather hold hands than not. It’s a pleasant feeling.

Haru never goes home on Saturdays anymore. They always sleep in the same bed, no matter which one of their apartments they are staying at. It feels right when he wakes up and finds Haru curled up at his side, feet brushing together under the blanket and it feels right when he wakes up with his head on Haru’s chest, hands caressing his skin softly. The thought would have embarrassed him to death only a few weeks ago, but now it just makes him feel secure.

He often feels as if he has butterflies in his stomach when he wakes up and finds Haru looking quietly at him, having awoken before him as usual, but it isn’t the unpleasant kind.

It’s all very new for both of them and at first they don’t even talk about it out loud.

Then Haru leans over his shoulder one day while Makoto is doing homework and kisses his cheek softly.

“I love you,” he whispers slowly into Makoto’s ear, making him drop his pencil. The brunet suddenly has goose bumps on his arms, and he desperately wants to touch him. So he does. He pulls Haru into his lap, holding him tightly.

His thoughts are a mess and his hands are shaking as he presses them into Haru’s back. They have never spoken about their feelings out loud simply because they both already knows, and Makoto feared it would make Haru uncomfortable.

Haru slides his arms around his neck and nuzzles his face into his shoulder, making himself smaller.

Makoto takes a deep breath and buries his nose into his best friend’s hair to collect himself.

“I-I love you too,” he stutters after a while. Then a question hits him. “Haru... What are we?” he wonders, even if he’s pretty sure he already knows. He just wants to hear it out loud.

Haru traces random patterns across his chest and raises an eyebrow.

“We’re us, of course,” he responds as if it’s the stupidest question he has ever heard. “You’re okay with this, right?”

His voice is smaller now, more uncertain.

Makoto nods quickly in agreement before realizing that Haru can’t see him from where he is sitting curled up at his chest.

“Yes,” he admits. “More than okay.”

Still, something in him is telling him to be careful. Warning him that maybe he should just stay Haru’s friend like he has alway done. That it’s too risky. That he could lose him.

Makoto shoves the thought away because after all, he reminds himself, Haru is still his best friend. Nothing can ever change that. Not a few kisses or whispered confessions, not the fact that they hold hands now or the meaningful glances they send each other while separating on the train when one of them has to get off and the other has to continue. Nothing.

All he wants to right now is to stay with Haru, and for some reason Makoto doesn’t understand, Haru seems content being with him, too.

“When did you realise?” he asks, pressing his lips into his hair.

Haru’s hand stops and stays flat on Makoto’s chest. “When we first got here, I think, but I’ve always known. I just didn’t want to admit it.

Makoto nods, he understands. He can feel Haru tensing up, signalising that he doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. It doesn’t bother him, they will continue the conversation some other time. The fact that Haru answered him so openly is enough.

 

“I’m at the airport now,” Makoto informs while trying to eat the rest of the burger he just ordered and hold his phone to his ear at the same time.

“Okay,” Haru mumbles. Makoto can hear people talking in the background. “I’ll meet you at the hotel, we just finished practice.”

“Great! See you soon, Haru.”

Makoto smiles. Even if it has only been two days since his boyfriend left for a swimming tournament in Fukuoka, he has really missed him a lot. He is relieved that he was able to take a few days off from school. The events that Haru is registered for has yet to start, and Makoto can’t wait to see the progress he has made.

Even if he knows that Haru has to share his hotel room with one of his teammates and that he himself has to rent another one, he still can’t wait to see him.

He takes a taxi to the hotel he knows Haru and the rest of his team is staying at and leaves his suitcase in his own room before making his way to the room number he had been texted earlier.

When he knocks a large built man with short, blond hair and brown eyes greets him. He extends his hand and Makoto shakes it.

“I’m guessing you’re Tachibana, Haruka’s childhood friend,” he speaks and Makoto wonders briefly since when Haru was okay with being called Haruka.

He smiles and nods, deciding not to comment on it. “That’s right, you must be his teammate.”

“Yep, Nakayama Orochi.”

“Nice to meet you, Nakayama-san,” he manages before the man is pushed away from the doorway.

“Makoto,” Haru breaths and looks at him. He is wearing a blue t-shirt that Makoto can’t remember to have seen on him before and it fits perfectly over his torso.

“Hi, Haru!” Makoto exclaims and hugs him tightly towards himself. He lets go immediately when he remember that Nakayama is standing right there.

“Well, this has been a touching reunion. Do you have the keys?”

Makoto frowns in confusion when he realises that the question is directed towards himself.

“Eh? What keys?”

“The keys to my hotel room, of course. You don’t expect me to sleep out in the hallway, do you?” Nakayama snickers.

“But I thought you were sleeping here?”

Haru sighs. “Just give him the keys to your room and then you can stay here.”

As much as he likes the idea, he can’t help but worry. “But won’t you two get in trouble with your coach then?”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Nakayama reassures and puts his hand expectantly out.

“Well, if you’re sure…” Makoto speaks and grabs the keys out from his pockets. “I still have my stuff there, though, so I’ll have to get it first.”

 

Later that evening, Makoto and Haru is sitting in their hotel room playing a dice game.

“It was really nice of Nakayama-san to let us have the room,” he mentions as he watches Haru roll the dice once effortlessly.

“Yeah,” Haru mumbles and writes down his score on a piece of paper.

“I really missed you,” Makoto admits and smiles fondly.

Haru huffs and throws one of the dices at him.

“Haru! What was that for?” Makoto whines, rubbing the spot on his collarbone that was hit. It didn’t actually hurt.

Haru doesn't answer and they keep playing.

“So… Haruka, huh?” Makoto speaks teasingly, raising an eyebrow.

Haru groans and Makoto almost thinks he is going to throw something at him again. He doesn’t.

“Shut up,” he mutters instead. “He won’t stop no matter what I say. Haruka this and Haruka that.”

“But it’s your name,” he reminds him gently, writing down his own score. At this rate, Haru is going to win.

“Only my parents call me that.”

“So you’re saying you would mind if I did?” Makoto asks, mostly to tease, but Haru blushes and looks down to hide his face

“Yes!” Haru hisses, not sounding too convincing. Makoto chuckles.

“Really, is that so? Ha-ru-ka,” he says in a low voice, tasting how it flows on his tongue and decides that he likes it.

Haru shudders and throws the dice again, getting the lowest score so far.

Makoto smiles, feeling playful.

“I win, Haruka.”

“Stop that!” Haru pushes him lightly and glares at him through half-lidded eyes. Makoto laughs and puts his hands up to surrender.

“I can’t wait to see you swim tomorrow,” Makoto begins, changing the subject. “You’ll do great.” He leans forward to kiss him, just because he can, and Haru melts into it in a way that is familiar by now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will contain more actual plot, and I will probably change the rating of the fic, too ;) Also I had trouble finding a way to end this chapter, but hopefully it will do. Thank you for reading <3
> 
> Comments and kudos are highly appreciated, I love hearing your thoughts!


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